Overcoming loneliness

You don’t have to be alone to be lonely. Some of us are married to emotionally unavailable spouses. Some of us put up with verbal and emotional abuse because we prefer anybody’s company to our own. Some of the loneliest people you will meet are in crowded bars at “happy” hour. They mingle, but they don’t connect. What is the answer? (1) Get involved in a cause greater than self-interest. After the Prodigal Son had spent his last penny partying with so-called friends, they forsook him, and he ended up alone in a hog pen. On the other hand, when the disciples were persecuted for their faith, the Bible says that “being let go, they went to their own company” (Acts 4:23). They had friends who shared their faith and their vision, who knew how to pray with them, strengthen them, and stand by them. And God has people like that who are waiting to become part of your life; you will find some of them in your local church. (2) Practice being accepting of others. When you love and accept people as they are, they’re drawn to you. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NLT). (3) Reach out. Begin nurturing your relationships by connecting more often with the people you know and value. Don’t get sucked into the Facebook/email/text-message-only communication vacuum. The founder of Wired magazine said that his favourite form of communication is face-to-face, his second is by phone, and his third is via internet. Take a leaf out of his book.